A lighthearted and loving look back at the glory days of the Shady Dell, the historic haven for teenagers in York, PA, and the magnanimous couple that created it, John & Helen Ettline.

CLOSE YOUR EYES. TAKE A DEEP BREATH. OPEN YOUR HEART.

SHADY DEL KNIGHT, ADMINISTRATOR

High School Yearbook Photo

"More than a place, the Shady Dell was and will forever remain a state of mind." - Shady Del Knight

HELLO STRANGER ... IT SEEMS LIKE A MIGHTY LONG TIME!

Monday, March 24, 2014

Hey, Spring Breakers, I Got a Question: Are You Jacked Up On Wolfman? I am!

AHHHOOOOO!!!
Mercy mercy me! This
here's Wolfman Jack, baby, sittin' in for my good friend Shady Del Knight here at the greatest little station
in the nation, SDMM.
I'm your doctor of love and I got the cure you're looking for, the best oldies you ever heard plus the best oldies
you never heard!

While the moon is full and stars do shine

Cuddle and dance to these tunes of mine.

Grab that special someone, start squeezin'

and letthe Wolfman's music do the pleasin'.

Now, you pay closeattention to
these songs,baby, or
the Wolfman'sgonna GETCHA!

These girls played the Peppermint Lounge, were the first all female rock band signed to a major record label and had an international following.

Oh gingerbread, gingerbread, you’re full of sugar,

you’re full of spice.You’re kinda naughty but

you’re naughty and nice. Goldie, when

you sing this 1961 Mary Wells song,

you make me wanna shout

and knock myself out!

"Bye Bye Baby" - Goldie and the Gingerbreads

(unreleased until 1999)

You got the Wolfman
on SDMM, baby, and
I'm gonna teach you
a lesson. In 1961 the Students had a top 30 R&B hit with this next classic doo-wop ballad.

In 1965 soul thrush Naomi Wilson had a swing and a miss with a cool cover. Yes, gracious... "I'm So Young."

"I'm So Young" - Naomi Wilson

(November 1965, uncharted)

All you Dell Vikings and Dellettes put your ears to the radio and listen to the Wolfman. In the early 70s, Los Angeles soul sister Carolyn Willis was a member of The Honey Cone, the girl group that gave us "Want Ads." A few years earlier she sang lead with the Sweethearts who sounded a lot like the Supremes on this next number.
Stop in the name of love and think it over. It's a no more tears formula for your baby from Wolfman Jack and the Sweethearts!

"No More Tears" - The Sweethearts (March 1966, uncharted)

I'm sure you remember the Angels and their hit "My Boyfriend's Back. When the Angels left Smash Records they temporarily lost the legal right to record under that name.

Peggy Santiglia took a leave of absence, Toni Mason replaced her as lead singer and the girls changed their name to The Halos. Angels... Halos... whatever their name they still sounded heavenly and that's a fact
or my name ain't Wolfman Jack!

"Just Keep On Loving Me" - The Halos

(August 1965, uncharted B side of "Do I?")

This one reminds me of "Lovers Who Wander" by Dion. Lo and behold it's Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys and three of his friends who made a 45 as the Survivors.

Brian's bunch used the melody of the Beach Boys ditty "Car Crazy Cutie," changed the lyrics and sang about a teen queen named Pamela Jean!

"Pamela Jean" - The Survivors

(January 1964, uncharted

Oh my my, I see by the old clock on the wall

there's a dead fly. The sun's coming up

and the Wolfman gotta go.

If you've been listening to the show at the

diner on the outskirts of town be sure

to tip your waitress when you leave.

She works hard for the money, honey.

This is your old friend Wolfman Jack sayin' see you next time in Volume 2 here on the greatest little station in the nation SDMM. I guarantee we gonna rock 'n' roll ourselves to death, baby.
If I'm lyin' I'm dyin'.

32 comments:

Ahhoooooo!! I feel a howl coming on this morning, friend Shady! What great music, and a terrific person to spotlight in the old Wolfman. He's the epitome of cool. I wonder how many records he turned into hits, just on the strength of his personality? Great way to start the week and the morning! Have a great one in your beautiful state!

Hi, dear Shelly! You're right about Wolfman Jack. His endorsement had the power to turn a record into a hit and the recording artist into a star. I admired him tremendously, miss him, and enjoy remembering him here on the blog. I'm thrilled to know that you enjoyed the post and I thank you for coming.

Hi, Jeanie! It's good to see you again, dear friend! I worked at an NBC affiliated TV station and we aired Wolfman Jack's Midnight Special. Every Friday night I sat in master control with the guys on the production crew and watched the program. Wolfman Jack was a hero of mine and I try my best to remember the patter he used on his radio show and in American Graffiti.

Thank you again for your visit and comment, dear friend Jeanie, and have a great week!

Hi, dear Katia! I'm excited by your visit, my special friend! "No More Tears" is derivative of the Supremes' hit "Stop in the Name of Love" but just different enough to stand as a great girl group recording in its own right. I'm happy to know you liked it.

Thank you very much for joining me today, dear friend Katia. Please come again soon!

Hi, Jerre! It's nice to know you're "Jacked up on Wolfman," good buddy! In case you don't recognize that word play, it was inspired the words of the youth pastor in the 2012 movie Spring Breakers which was filmed down here in the greater Tampa Bay region.

As I'm sure you know, the late Maureen Gray also waxed a fine version of "So Young" which I intend to post at some point in the future.

Thanks for mentioning Ed Lincoln, the great Central Pennsylvania radio personality. I just read that Ed and ‘Doc’ Daugherty took turns winning the annual popularity contest staged by the Bon-Ton record department.

Thanks for your visit and comment, Jerre. Enjoy the rest of your week and come back soon!

Hi Shady. You know that I could NOT miss coming over to see you, but this is all double dutch to me I'm afraid, as I have never heard of the Wolfman. Eeeeek! I guess it's the dunce's cap all over again for me. Wish Desiree was still around. She might have been able to help me with some of these. It certainly does look like a fun post though Tom, and I hope you had a good rest whilst Wolfman took over the reins here at the most hip place in town! Toodles!

Hallo, hallo, hallo, dear Thisisme! Thank you for coming over for a look and a listen. I doubt that our old friend Desiree could have helped much with this post except to share dunce cap duties with you. :)

It boggles my mind to realize how many of my jokes and pop culture references sail over your head because we grew up thousands of miles apart. It's sad but no fault of your own that you do not know Wolfman Jack, a pop culture icon who was so much a part of my life. Wolfman, whose real name was ordinary as can be, Robert Smith, was a very popular American disc jockey in the 60s and 70s. He appeared as himself in the hit movie American Graffiti and hosted the long running network television music program The Midnight Special, a series that featured performances by international recording stars that included David Bowie and countless others.

I do hope you enjoyed these songs, however, which included one of Beach Boy Brian Wilson's pet projects, "Pamela Jean."

Thank you very much for your cheery visit and comment, dear friend Thisisme. Please take good care of yourself and I'll be chatting with you again soon! God bless!

Hello, dear Emma! Yessum, the late Wolfman Jack had a distinctive look and style which included a gravel voice, an eerie howl and an endearing top 40 radio banter. I hope you checked out one of two of these rare ditties and that you enjoyed your visit. Thank you very much for coming, dear friend Emma, and good night to you in Dublin!

What hair the Wolf-man has, as well as a great taste in music! I have never had the pleasure of meeting him before, nor several of these songs. Thank you!!I did enjoy No More Tears. Some of my earliest memories of music ride on songs very similar to that one. In the central Kansas area there are fast food restaurants called Spangles. Besides having really great food, every restaurants walls are plastered with old photos of Elvis, Marilyn, Ricky Nelson, Lucy, girl groups, advertisements, movie posters, old guitars and 45s (you name it, it's probably on the wall or shelves).The booths are shiny red leather and there is a jukebox all lit up in the corner. But what really tops everything off and gives it the retro vibe is the music. It's glorious. One minute they'll play Hank Williams, next, the Beach Boys and the Chubby Checker. It makes everything so much better. I remember being younger and helping mom carry the food to sit down, be-bopping and jiving and smiling all the way.Many fast food joints are busy, dirty and hectic, the sound of yelling and people talking the only noise. But even though we live farther away from it, we always go back. Who doesn't love eating to awesome music? Its just so. much. fun.A little rabbit trail there... anyway, thanks for the good memories.Love,Abigail and Daisy

Hi, dear Abigail! Hi, dear Daisy! What a superb comment this is from the two of you. It adds a great deal to the discussion thread.

Until I met you, I knew very little about Kansas. You are providing me with the kind of personalized education that I could not get anywhere else. It's fascinating to learn about your way of life there in the nation's heartland.

I wholeheartedly agree with you that dining is much more pleasurable at restaurants that feature a rock 'n' roll theme. They are a refreshing alternative to the typical hustle-bustle fast food joints and sports bars. When I first moved to Tampa Bay in the mid 80s I hung out at a place called Chevys. It was similar to Spangles in that the walls were covered with rock 'n' roll and classic movie memorabilia and Atomic Age pop culture ads and artifacts. Oldies records played continuously through the sound system. As if those special features weren't enough, the ambiance was enhanced by the seating arrangement. Instead of dining at ordinary tables, patrons occupied replicas of vintage Chevrolet automobiles! It was so. much. fun.

What wonderful friends you and Daisy turned out to be, Abigail. Thank you very much for your visit and excellent comment and for sharing your world in such an inspiring manner on your own blog. I wish you all the best in the week ahead... and your little dog, too!

What an awesome place Chevy's sounds like, what fun it must have been.I enjoy your interest in my photography and Kansas. The same way you feel learning about Kansas, i feel about your blog, too. The music and writing is funny and enjoyable, and for that, i thank you.Have a good week as well. :)

Hi, Sarah! I thought you might fancy the edgy girl band Goldie and the Gingerbreads, given the fact that they toured with the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Animals, Yardbirds, Hollies and Kinks and had a top 30 UK hit with "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat," a song that turned into a top 5 hit stateside for Herman's Hermits.

Your visit means a great deal to me, Sarah. I appreciate you more than I can express and hope you are having an excellent week so far. Good night and have a terrific Tuesday, dear friend!

What a supply of fun here Wolfman! My favs in this installment? Well, I was really loving the Halos..that sound was awesome! My other had to be The Beach Boys/Survivors with Pamela Jean. This sure brought back some memories of a place my group loved to hang out in Chi-Town called "Dog 'n Suds". If you had a convertible you were really cool and popular there. Here in my old age we have a place everyone frequents called "The A&W Rootbeer Stand". You pull up and the young cuties run out and get your order and you can sit in the car and check out who's hanging with ya! Now, some tunes would really make it perfect so maybe I need to suggest that with the tip I leave next time! The only thing that really bothered me about this post was the fact that Wolfman and I had the same hair do back in the day...minus the beard for me..just sayin. Have a Shady Day!

Hi, YaYa! Thank you very much for coming, dear friend! You and Wolfman Jack might have sported the same hair style but that's definitely where the resemblance ends, you cutie pie! (Although... I'll bet you could rock a beard! :)

Dog 'n Suds seems like my kind of place and I'm happy to know that Brian Wilson's "Pamela Jean" song brought back memories of it. Those drive-in fast food restaurants were great fun back in the day. I frequented one in York and there was one in my Central Florida town that recently closed after many decades of operation. Ain't that a shame? My tears fell like rain.

Of course, the Gulf Coast Florida town of Clearwater is also home to the original Hooters restaurant chain which plays oldies but goodies on the jukebox while cute servers parade around in orange shorts and revealing T-shirts. However, to my knowledge, the franchise does not have car hops.

Well, you are in a great mood, dear friend, and that puts me in one, too. Thank you very much for attending my Spring Break bash. Give Eddy a pat for me and enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend YaYa!

I've heard a lot about Wolfman Jack but the radio stations in San Bernardino didn't feature him, as far as I know. My favorite group here is Goldie and the Gingerbreads. I really loved their sound and singing.

The Sweethearts sounded very close to the Supremes as you said. The background music was similar, but I like the Supremes more. In the Halos, I thought Toni Mason had a good voice. Of course, the last song with Brian Wilson sounded like a Beach Boy song.

Lots of fun to hear these songs which were unknown to me. Hope you are having a beautiful spring, Tom.

Hello, dear Belle! Thanks for visiting Wolfman Jack's Howl of Fame and meeting the latest inductees. :) These rare records were all new to me until very recently when my research led me to discover them. I'm glad you enjoyed Goldie and the other featured recording acts and songs. I don't think I became aware of Wolfman Jack until I saw him in American Graffiti. Sadly, he died of a heart attack at age 57. He was a favorite of mine and I intend to keep memories of him alive here on SDMM.

I hope the weather's warming up in your part of North America, dear friend Belle. Thank you again for joining the fun and please take good care of yourself until we chat again. God bless!

Hi Tom,I've had a break tiny as it is in babysitting and wedding duties so I had a chance to hop over to my favorite music spot! Loved the music and the music man you highlighted today! The teen angst in this songs is so much what I remember of that era's music. I must say I do like when they get a little spunky, was one of my complaints about Patsy Cline. Loved her voice but she was always whining about a man when she could have just kicked him to the curb and lived a life, vocally that is. Oh well I get off point here, I am so glad I was able to have some music from the Dell to make my day better! Hope you have been fine and one of these days probably after Memorial Day weekend I hope to be blogging and visiting again on a regular basis again. Until then you take care dear friend…enjoy the Summer Breezes and hugs to you and Mrs Shady!

Well, this is so nice of you, dear Sush. Welcome back to my little corner of the blogging world, my friend!

I appreciated your remarks about spunky songs and arrangements. Good point. I also tend to avoid sad, whiny songs because life's already depressing enough without being reminded of it. I'd rather laugh and dance than hang my head and cry. I trust these ditties did the trick for you. Even songs about troubled relationships, lost love and the anguish of unrequited love can send a feel good vibe if they are sung to a beat and convey a sense of hope that things will get better.

Thank you very much for coming, dear Sush. I would like nothing better than to have you back as a regular friend and visitor. You are one of my oldest, dearest and most cherished friends. Take care and I hope to see you again soon!

Oh Tom, I would so love to be back blogging and visiting regularly. At the moment my house is in total disarray as we are completing the final bathroom reno and we have trappings for the May wedding all over along with the rest of the painting, scraping of ceilings my date of the last 43 years wants to complete. That with babysitting for the littles I'm clinging to the edge of reality these days. I do pop in to read your blog when I can but commenting is almost more than I can do except for stolen moments! Keep your tunes coming as they give me great happiness, dear friend…Big hugs~

AOK, dear Sush. It's good to know you're still out there and still care. I'm sure you know by now how much I care about you and your family. Taking a few seconds out of your busy day to say a friendly hello can make a big difference in somebody's day or even their life.

Thank you very much for the follow-up comment, dear friend Sush, and please give Molly Christine a hug and a kiss for me.

Hi Shady! This time...I'm just late! I came by the other night and checked your post out, loved it, but had to get busy with dinner, etc. How about that Wolfman Jack? He was one of a kind...I really loved him! He was another gentleman/character who left his mark on our music world-I am so glad I was in his era of rock! He was more than just a DJ...he was a mentor!

Well, well, you brought some new ladies to the Dell and they were good. The Sweethearts 'No More Tears'. As you mentioned, it was a very similar Supremes Sound, but with a different sound, giving the group their own uniqueness.

I liked the Angels 'My Boyfriend's Back'-I never had a boyfriend come back, lol...but us girls had fun singing the song!

So, McShade, I'll have to say that The Gingerbreads' Bye Bye Baby is my favorite of your offerings. They had a great sound-love the beat. I mean, this one really takes me back to slumber parties, the teen church dances, and, just being a young teen! I know I never heard them, but their sound, the music and the beat are so familiar-it sends chills!

Thank you so much for your hard work, research, and, just plain knowing what we like!!! See you next time ♫

Hi, Suzanne! How have you been? It's always a pleasure to be reunited with someone out of my past! (LOL) So you're just plain late, huh? At least you didn't try to use the excuse that the dog ate your comment! :)

I am thrilled by what you wrote here, dear friend. My goal in keeping SDM&M operating is to transport you back to your teenage years, to "send chills" and enable you to feel young again. Just think. When we are 100 we can still be using songs like these as our fountain of youth. I'm so pleased you knew and loved Wolfman Jack. He was one of a kind and I miss him.

You wrote: << I never had a boyfriend come back, lol >> That's because no boyfriend in his right mind would ever LEAVE a great gal like you in the first place! :)

I am delighted that you came by and testified this evening, Suzanne, and so glad you enjoyed the latest batch of tuneage.

Wolfman Jack was one cool cat (er, canine!, lol!). Of course I remember him best from the fantastic show, The Midnight Special, as the announcer.

My favs on this post? Well, I enjoyed Naomi Wilson's voice the best but I enjoyed the "No More Tears" song and harmonies the best. But, (and it's a big "but"!), The Sweethearts (along with the Survivors) should be called "the Impersonators" for their same sound, both melodically and vocally, as their famous predecessors. I'm surprised there weren't copyright infringement charges, lol!

I did, however, love that Honey Cone hit, "Want Ads" back in the 70s. This post really makes me miss Wolfman Jack with his distinctive voice (and hair!).

Hi, Toni! You're just in time to comment on this post before it gets bumped. I greatly appreciate you coming over the spend some time with me in the Shady.

I'm glad you mentioned Naomi Wilson. Dell Rat Jerre also mentioned her in his comment but I forgot to tell him what I learned about her. Sadly, Naomi ran afoul of the law, got into heroin use and somehow, I'm not quite sure of her alleged crimes, got herself sentenced to life in prison w/o the possibility of parole. She has been behind bars at Pennsylvania's SCI Muncy, a prison for women near Williamsport, since the 1980s. Very sad!

Yessum, one of Brian Wilson's so-called "pet projects," the Survivors group gave us the sound of the Beach Boys. Meanwhile, the little known girl group the Sweethearts borrowed, copied, imitated (stole?) the sound of "Stop! In The Name of Love" by the hugely popular Supremes. Coincidentally, just today I found another girl group that derived the melody of one of their songs from that same Supremes hit. I (or the Wolfman) will be bringing you that great record in a future post.

Thank you ever so much for the wonderful comment, Toni. Stay tuned for my next post coming tomorrow morning and enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend!

The Rodentia Intelligentsia

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"You had to be there!"

“Words and photographs could never do those dancers justice because you had to be there - in a club with great music, like minded people and loads of atmosphere.” David Meikle of Glasgow, Scotland wrote those words in an article remembering the Twisted Wheel, the legendary northern soul club in Manchester, England. Yet, Mr. Meikle could just as easily have been describing the scene at my favorite "in" spot of the 1960s, the Shady Dell in York (Pennsylvania, not England).

THE SHADY DELL

YORK, PENNSYLVANIA

The Shady Dell: Part of York County's Colorful History

What began as a home based restaurant and bakery in 1945 evolved over the next two decades into the hottest teen nightspot in York county complete with indoor and outdoor dance floors. It went beyond that. Shady Dell owner John Ettline and his wife Helen put out the welcome mat offering hospitality, comfort, support, and encouragement to generations of young people. During its impressive 45-year life span the Dell became a home away from home for countless area youth from a variety of backgrounds.

At the height of its popularity in the early and mid 60s the Dell, located on the southern outskirts of the White Rose city, was as widely known as North York’s White Oak Park ("the Oaks"), Harrisburg's Raven club or any other youth-oriented venue in central Pennsylvania. The Dell attracted crowds from all over the region. It brought together under one roof kids from middle class families and kids from working class families - city kids, suburban kids, small town kids and farm kids.

The diverse cast of characters that constituted the Shady Dell family was a potentially volatile mix. Each of us had to find a way to fit in and get along (or risk being voted off the island). In the end, in spite of our differences, most of us learned to dance together without stepping on each other’s toes.

Shady Dell regulars were nicknamed Dell rats and we had at least two things in common: a love of the music that played on the Dell’s jukebox and a genuine respect for John and Helen Ettline who graciously made their home our home.

GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS

The Dell was a unique, magical coming of age experience - a proving ground - a secluded hideaway where adolescents could develop social skills, learn to handle responsibility and test the waters of adulthood free from the hassles of ubiquitous adult micromanagement.

SHOCKING TRUE CONFESSION: I WAS A TEENAGE DELL RAT! by Shady Del Knight

I became a Dell rat in 1965 at the age of fifteen. Disparaging rumors about the place had been circulating for years. If you were to believe the gossip the Dell was a snake pit where bad boys and bad girls went to do bad things. Some people, including my mother, referred to the Dell as a “den of iniquity.” Intrigued by the horror stories, I was determined to get there and see for myself what all the fuss was about.

In preparation for my grand entrance, I subjected myself to weeks of rigorous training at a Shady Dell boot camp of my own devise. I grew my hair longer and took up the smoking habit. I practiced in front of a mirror until I was convinced that my stance, walk, and dancing style were all cool.

To complete my extreme makeover, I went shopping for my 'uniform' which consisted of a tapered shirt from the Hub, slacks by H.I.S. and two wardrobe essentials: a pair of blue Jack Purcell sneakers and the all-important Baracuta jacket "Made in England." Wearing my 'Cuta' made me feel so terribly, terribly British, you know. Spot on for us bird watchin' blokes, right gov'na?

'JACKS'

AN ABSOLUTE MUST...FOR DANCIN' ON DELL DUST!

THE CLASSIC NATURAL COLOUR BARACUTA

STRICTLY CONTINENTAL, MATE!

Moment of Truth: Boy Meets Dell

Too young to drive, I made my first Dell visit happen by bumming a ride one night with my college-age cousin and two of his buddies. Clearly, none of the above was thrilled to be babysitting.

As we drove past York Hospital on South George and headed toward Violet Hill, what began as giddy anticipation was turning to apprehension. Fear of the unknown started creeping into my brain. What if the rumors turned out to be true? Would I soon be sharing a needle with a gang of rowdy bikers?

At Violet Hill, we made a dogleg turn to the right and began to climb the narrow, winding, bumpy Starcross Road. By this time my breathing had become labored and I felt queasy. It was as if, on a foolish dare, I had agreed to spend the night with Vincent Price in his House on Haunted Hill. Was it too late to leap from the car and bolt?

"I See the Lights... I See the Party Lights..."

We rounded a bend and I caught my first glimpse of her a short distance up the road. Perched on the hillside was a three-story brick house. Down to the left stood a barn. The festive glow of colored lights rose skyward from an area behind the house. As I would soon learn, the atmospheric illumination originated from strings of lanterns hanging above a patio rigged with remote speakers for outdoor dancing.

As we banked to make our final approach I detected the percussive beat of uptempo music emanating from the barn. We turned left into a gravel parking lot overflowing with vehicles. Here, in all of her rustic splendor, stood the infamous Shady Dell, my destination for the evening and my obsession for years to come!

I Found My Thrill on Violet Hill

My heart was thumping as we climbed the steps that led to the entrance and approached the admission booth. Following my cousin’s lead, I slid a quarter through the window and looked up to see a balding, bespectacled old man grinning back at me. Old? John Ettline would have been 59 at the time. I'm older than that now. Yikes!

“Good evening, gentlemen!” John delivered his cheerful salutation in a booming baritone. Immediately, my anxiety vanished. John’s warm welcome made me feel right at home. It made me feel like I belonged. I didn’t get it at the time but later came to realize that John’s presupposition that we were "gentlemen" was a clever and tactful way of admonishing us to behave accordingly.

Toto, I've a Feeling We're Not in Kansas Anymore!

From the moment I entered the compound I was hooked. The Shady Dell was a private playground for teenagers - a candy land - a fun factory - a safe haven where kids could congregate and blow off steam without having to worry about parents and teachers giving them the evil eye. Instantly I became intoxicated - not by alcohol - but by a sense of total freedom. The place gave off a vibe that was completely new to me – an exhilarating blend of romance, adventure and danger!

Instead of placing a ton of restrictions on their young patrons, John and Helen granted them the independence they craved. The Ettlines were willing to take a step back and trust our judgment. It was okay for us to party as long as things didn’t get out of hand. Most of us eagerly embraced that arrangement. If and when we screwed up, the Ettlines gave us another chance. John and Helen cut you plenty of slack, but if you disrespected them or trashed their establishment both were capable of unleashing a fiery temper.

Of Rats and Men

Contrary to popular belief, the Dell did not harbor gangs of juvenile delinquents eager to conceal their wicked deeds from law enforcement. Sorry, Mom - there weren’t any guns, switchblades or brass knuckles - no gangs, career criminals or prostitutes - just a bunch of ordinary teenagers who loved to meet, mix and mingle, dance and have fun.

Fights were few and far between. There was tacit agreement that it was our duty to preserve and protect the unique setting that the Ettlines had created for us. It required us to police ourselves to prevent incidents that would generate negative publicity or hassles with the law. Scuffles were settled quickly, often through John’s bold intervention. The first lesson a guy learned at the Dell was as follows. Don’t let the gray hair fool you. Nobody messes with John. He’s the boss!

A Special Welcome to All Incoming Freshmen!

I was punched in the face three times during my first year of matriculation on the campus of the Shady Dell School of Hard Knocks. Apparently a few of the guys were determined to teach me a lesson. Yet, getting socked in the kisser did not dampen my enthusiasm or scare me away from the place. In fact they had the opposite effect. They whet my appetite for more! As a Dell newbie desperate to break free of mom’s apron strings and earn respect and acceptance, I wasn’t about to let a bloody nose deter me. For the first time in my life I felt like a man instead of a boy and I loved it. Like Secret Agent Man I was living a life of danger. I was addicted to the rush!

Determined to create an image that would allow me to blend in, appeal to the ladies and avoid becoming a frequent target of the tribe's dominant males, I did a lot of posing, posturing and pretending. I decided that it would be advantageous for me to look tough even though I wasn't. Whenever I strolled into the dance hall, I made sure that my hair was messed up, my shirt tail was hanging out, a lit cigarette was dangling from my lips and my game face was on.

One afternoon before anybody else arrived, my best friend and I rolled around on the dance floor of the barn so that we could properly break-in our new Baracuta jackets by getting them coated with Dell dust. This drove my mother crazy. She kept asking me how I got my jacket so badly soiled. She was even more perplexed when I forbade her to get it cleaned. How could I explain to her that I didn’t want to risk weakening my status with the other guys by wearing a clean jacket?

In my mom’s day the ideal guy wore a white sport coat and a pink carnation. His hair was neatly cropped, oiled down and slicked back off his forehead. That look would have spelled social suicide at the Dell in the mid 60s. My goal was to look like I had just been in a fight at reform school, and if I got my uniform dirty or bloodied in combat, it was a GOOD thing.

Helen & John Ettline

Shady Dell Owners

Helen and John: Not Your Typical Mom and Pop

Even by mid 60s standards, John Ettline seemed part of a vanishing breed of men. John never called me by my first name. He always chose to address me as “Mr. Knight." John maintained that friendly formality through all the years I knew him. I’m very glad he did. John always made me feel important when he added the title “Mr.” to my name. Making insecure teenagers feel good about themselves was John’s greatest gift. He always treated young people with dignity and respect and that made them want to return it.

Along with his outstanding people skills, John possessed a photographic memory. He could always match a face with a name. He seemed to know a lot about anything or anybody that you happened to be discussing. John Ettline had a million stories to tell - all of them interesting.

Although old enough to be our grandparents, there was no generation gap between the Ettlines and their teenage guests. They seemed to remember better than other grown-ups what it was like to be young. John and Helen stayed in touch and in tune with the youth culture. Never was that more in evidence than one day at the York Fair in September, 1968. I was sitting in the grandstand awaiting the start of the James Brown concert. I turned around to search the crowd for familiar faces and there, a few rows behind me, sat Helen and John. In a year when racial tension was running high in York and elsewhere, it was remarkable to see a white couple in their 60s at a James Brown concert, chanting along with the rest of us, “Say It Loud: I’m Black and I’m Proud!”

John and Helen were cool. Young people felt at ease talking with them. Unlike many adults, John and Helen listened to us. They cared without preaching or judging. The Ettlines treated their teen visitors like extended family. They believed in the potential of every young person, including troubled youth from broken homes. They spoke to us about the value of an education and honest hard work. They sponsored athletic programs and honored America’s armed forces. They shaped young lives by instilling a sense of pride and self esteem. John and Helen went out of their way to make all of their kids feel like somebody - even those whose families were telling them they were nobody.

The Dell Jukebox: ALL KILLER AND NO FILLER!

Upon arriving on the Dell scene I soon realized that the jukebox in the dance hall was loaded with the greatest, most danceable records to be found anywhere. There were quite a few songs that I had never heard before and would never hear anywhere else. The music mix that played nightly at the Dell was consistently better than what I was hearing on the radio. In the mid 60s the Dell's musical menu was an exciting blend of Motown, Chi-town, New York and Philly soul, Memphis, southern R&B, blue-eyed soul, Brit beat, sunshine pop, garage, psych and folk-rock plus a few do-wop favorites held over from the 50s.

Shady Dell regulars, the gang I now refer to as the Rodentia Intelligentsia, prided themselves on having radar for cool. Year in and year out they discovered and popularized songs that radio stations across the country overlooked. Records that lingered near the bottom of the national chart often became cherished classics at the Dell. Forgotten flips were elevated to mega-hit status by Dell rats unfettered by the limitations of radio play lists.

Certain songs resonated with the Dell crowd to such an extent that they stayed on the jukebox for years. The best example of this phenomenon is the record ranked #1 on my survey of the 200 Greatest Hits Of The Shady Dell. It remained one of the most popular jukebox selections a dozen years after its initial release in the 50s. That very special song, the greatest and longest lasting Shady Dell hit of all time, was "Close Your Eyes" by the Five Keys.

THE FIVE KEYS

"Close Your Eyes" Ranked #1

Del-Chords & Magnificent Men

Another mighty evergreen at the Shady Dell was "Everybody’s Gotta Lose Someday," an intense, power-packed r&b/soul ballad by the Del-Chords, a racially mixed group from York. Released in 1964, the record was still being played heavily two years later, jamming the floor with slow dancers several times a night. Dave Bupp and Buddy King, lead vocalists from the Del-Chords, eventually merged with band members of Harrisburg’s Endells to form a blue-eyed soul group called the Magnificent Men. The “Mag Men,” as we called them, were white guys who had a passion for black music and the vocal talent and musicianship to authentically perform it. Their inspiring ballad "Peace of Mind" was the first in an impressive string of Dell hits for our hometown heroes.

Magnificent Men

HEAVY HITTERS AT THE DELL!

The Emperors of Harrisburg

Records by the Emperors, another home-grown act, were also enormously popular with Dell dancers. A black group from the state capital, the Emperors were exponents of the “Harrisburg sound,” a blend of r&b, soul, garage and Latin influences. "Karate," the Emperors’ best known recording, was the first of eight raw, funky, organ-driven numbers to achieve hit status at the Dell in 1966 and 1967.

THE EMPERORS

DELL ROYALTY - THEY RULED!

End of an Era

Once addicted to the Dell, I pretty much lived there until the fall of 1967 when I left York to attend an institution of higher learning. Over the next four years I visited my Dell family whenever possible during holidays, spring breaks, and summer vacations. My stint as a Dell rat officially ended in 1971 when I found a job in another city and moved away from York for good.

My final visit to the Dell came in March of 1984 when my career took me out of state. My last piece of business before leaving was to drop in at the Dell and say a final goodbye. I entered the house to find John sitting on a stool at the lunch counter reading the newspaper. “Well, hello stranger!” John bellowed, rising to his feet and extending his hand. “Long time no see, Mr. Knight!" After shaking hands with John and exchanging a few pleasantries, I inquired about Helen. I was stunned to learn that she had passed away a few weeks earlier. I never got the news! John and I stood alone in Helen’s snack bar, reminiscing about the good old days and lamenting how much things had changed since the Dell’s golden era.

After a brief chat with John I excused myself and walked down the sidewalk to check out the barn. The old dance hall was dimly lit and nearly vacant. The only customers were two boys with shoulder length hair standing by the jukebox with a couple of girls. No music was playing. The place was dead or, more accurately, in the final lonely stages of life. If it had been twenty years earlier, the joint would have been jumpin’. The four young people eyed me suspiciously. Is this guy a narc? I put myself in their combat boots and realized that the sight of a stranger in his mid thirties was probably making this new generation of Dell rats uncomfortable. I promptly exited the barn and returned to the house to bid farewell to John.

That night marked the last time I ever saw John or entered the Shady Dell. I made one final pilgrimage in 1988 when I returned to Pennsylvania to visit my parents. I drove up to the Dell one afternoon with every intention of going inside. I’m sure I would have encountered a smiling John Ettline and that he would have immediately remembered my name. Yet, I never got out of the car. I chose not to enter because I didn’t want to further contaminate my memories by seeing how much older John looked and how much more dilapidated the Dell had become. All I could do was sit there in the parking lot gazing at the barn, the house, the bench and the steps to the admission booth where the whole journey started. My mind flooded with a thousand memories of the people, the place, and the time of my life.

John Ettline closed the Dell in the fall of 1991. He died at the beginning of 1993. John’s family auctioned off the restaurant equipment, signage and other Dell paraphernalia in the spring of that year.

(Mike Argento's 1993 article in the York Daily Record was used as a reference source for portions of this cover story.)

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